Mumbai batsmen Sarfaraz Khan Rishabh Pant-led India A has been dropped from the India A squad for the upcoming red-ball series against South Africa A, a decision that has reignited the debate over India’s selection policy.
Sarfaraz Khan missed India A tour, it is certain to play Ranji Trophy in his place
Almost a year after his last international appearance, Sarfaraz will now return to domestic cricket and represent Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy.
Sarfaraz, once touted as the next big thing in India’s middle order, has raised questions about his absence from both the senior and India A teams. Despite strong performances in limited Test opportunities, he finds himself out of contention, indicating a possible loss of confidence from the selectors.
Despite reliable statistics and clear improvement in fitness, Sarfaraz has been dropped from the team. In six Test matches, the 26-year-old has scored 371 runs at an average of 46.37, including one century and three fifties. During the off-season, he also lost 17 kilograms, overcoming fitness concerns that had once weighed on his form.
Since making his Test debut against England in early 2024, Sarfaraz has been performing consistently, scoring two fifties on debut and a fighting century against New Zealand later that year. However, after some weak matches, he was dropped during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia – and has not been selected since.
Now, with Pant captaining India A, Sarfaraz’s omission seems like an unspoken signal. Reports suggest that he has been advised to bat at number three for Mumbai in domestic cricket – the only position still in flux in India’s current Test lineup.
Ravichandran Ashwin criticizes lack of communication in selection policy
Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin expressed concern over Sarfaraz’s exclusion and called it a symptom of inconsistent communication between the selectors and the players. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said the situation reflected players’ past experiences Subramaniam Badrinath And Manoj TiwariThose who were at least informed about the rationale for the selection.
“The problem is that your communication and selection must match,” Ashwin commented. “Earlier, selectors would clearly tell players like Badrinath or Tiwary that they were being dropped to make room for new faces, but later their names could still be considered for India. It’s the honesty that matters.”
However, in the case of Sarfaraz, Ashwin feels such transparency is missing. “If the message is that we have seen enough of Sarfaraz, then that is unfair. You have chosen Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has already played a lot for India A. The rest of the names are futuristic – Harsh Dubey, Manav Suthar – but what about Sarfaraz in his current form?” He asked question.
Ashwin also sympathized with Sarfaraz’s frustration and highlighted that his hard work – from losing weight to scoring consistently – has gone in vain.
Also read: BCCI announces India A squad for unofficial Tests against South Africa A, Rishabh Pant returns
“He did everything that was asked of him – improved fitness, scored runs, scored a century in his last Test series. Yet, he is not being selected. That leads me to believe that someone has decided that they are no longer looking at him.” Ashwin said.
The former Indian star warned that such behavior could land Sarfaraz in a label: “Now if he performs well in first-class cricket, they will say he is good only for that level. So where will he go to prove himself?”
Following his omission from India A, Sarfaraz’s focus has now turned to the Ranji Trophy, where he would like to do the talking with his bat once again. For a player who has proved his class time and again in domestic cricket, this latest humiliation adds another chapter to the ongoing debate about India’s opaque selection system – where performance and ability do not always align.
